The Piano Man Project Page 0,65

Lucille said. ‘I wonder if he did them himself? I’m hopeless with plants, but Mimi is wonderful. She looks after all those flowers in the window boxes at home, you know. Green fingered, as they say.’

Honey recognised Lucille’s words for what they were; an early attempt to draw parallels between her beloved sister and her brand new brother, to find common ground between them to help her to win over Mimi when they spoke later. It had been Honey’s only condition, and she was in no doubt that Lucille would honour it.

‘Come on,’ Honey said, steering Lucille gently along the pavement. ‘He’s probably ten times more nervous, you know. You have Mimi, and all of your memories of your parents. He’s on his own in all of this.’

Lucille nodded and braced her shoulders. ‘Let’s go and say hello to my brother.’

They didn’t have to wait long for the door to open. A few seconds after Lucille rang the bell, a dark-haired, efficient woman opened the shiny green door.

‘You must be Lucille,’ she said, putting Honey and Lucille at ease with a smile. ‘I’m Carol, Ernie’s assistant. Please, come inside.’

The interior of the house was just as well kept as the exterior, bright and fresh; well-polished floor tiles, gleaming woodwork, the scent of polish, and fresh flowers on the coffee table in the sunny lounge Carol ushered them into.

‘Ernie will be through in a minute or two. Can I get you some tea while you wait? Coffee?’

Lucille nodded and Honey shook her head, and Carol smiled widely. ‘Ernie’s been a bit like that today, too. Can’t make his mind up on anything.’ She leaned towards Lucille. ‘I don’t think he slept a wink last night, his covers had hardly moved when I made his bed up this morning.’

‘Told you,’ Honey whispered, when they were alone. ‘He’s as nervous as you are.’

‘Is my lipstick crooked?’

Honey could just about feel Lucille’s slight frame shaking on the sofa beside her. She’d asked about the condition of her lipstick twice that morning already.

‘Your lipstick looks perfect, your hair looks fabulous, and that dress is wonderful on you. Lucille, will you please just relax?’

They both looked up at the quiet hum of a motor in the hallway, and a couple of seconds later a wheelchair appeared in the wide doorway. Ernie. Honey hadn’t really anticipated what he might look like, but it wasn’t just green fingers that Ernie shared with his eldest sister. The shock of seeing someone so like Mimi in male form took her breath. She heard Lucille gasp beside her, and passed her a tissue to stem the tears already on the older woman’s cheeks.

‘Mimi should be here,’ Lucille murmured, getting to her feet because Ernie couldn’t. He pressed a button and moved his chair forward to the middle of the room, and Honey watched with a lump in her throat as Lucille bent and embraced her brother for the first time in their lives.

‘So many years,’ Ernest said, his voice strong even if his body wasn’t. ‘I’ve wanted to meet you my whole life, Lucille.’

‘I never knew,’ Lucille whispered, her shaky voice full of emotion. She pulled back, scrutinising his face. ‘You’re the image of our sister, Mimi.’ Lucille glanced across at Honey. ‘Isn’t he, Honey?’

Ernie looked towards the sofa, and Honey smiled and nodded. ‘You are. It’s uncanny.’

‘Sorry Ernie, where are my manners!’ Lucille said. ‘This is Honeysuckle.’

‘Your … granddaughter?’ Ernie said, looking hopeful.

‘No. As good as, mind,’ Lucille said, and the lump in Honey’s throat threatened to spill over into full-blown tears. She’d come along today as a support for Lucille. She hadn’t anticipated finding it so emotional herself. Hauling herself to her feet, she touched Lucille lightly on the shoulder.

‘Why don’t I leave you guys to it for a while? I’ll go and grab a cuppa and come back later.’

Lucille nodded, still holding on to Ernie’s hand. ‘I think I’d like that. We’ve a lot to catch up on, haven’t we Ernie?’

Honey let herself out of the front door and found Carol sitting in the sunshine on the front steps. She looked up at the sound of the door opening.

‘I thought I’d leave them to it for a while,’ Honey said, nodding back towards the doorway.

‘Lots to talk about, I expect,’ Carol said, lighting up a cigarette and then holding the box up towards Honey, who shook her head.

‘Thanks, though. Mind if I sit for five?’

Carol tucked the cigarette box into the pocket of her navy tabard and waved